First use of imlifidase desensitization in a highly sensitized lung transplant candidate: a case report
Antoine Roux, Vincent Bunel, Natalia Belousova, Jonathan Messika, Sébastien Tanaka, Mathilde Salpin, Arnaud Roussel, Laurence Beaumont-Azuar, C. Picard, Olivier Brugière, Jérôme Devaquet, Édouard Sage, Morgan Le Guen, Jean‐Luc Taupin, Magali Devriese, Mathieu Glorion, François Parquin
Abstract
Lung transplant candidates who are highly sensitized against human leucocyte antigen present an ongoing challenge with regards to finding immunologically acceptable donors. Desensitization strategies aimed at reducing preformed donor-specific antibodies have a number of limitations. Imlifidase, an IgG-degrading enzyme derived from Streptococcus pyogenes, is a novel agent that has been used to convert positive crossmatches to negative in kidney transplant candidates, allowing transplantation to occur. We present the first case of imlifidase use for antibody depletion in a highly sensitized lung transplant candidate who went on to undergo a successful bilateral lung transplant.